Current Affairs Today

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs March 31 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates Rs. 11,200 Phase I of Noida International Airport in UP
In March 2026, Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the Phase I of Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh (UP), developed at a cost of Rs 11,200 crore under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

• The airport supports India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision and aligns with the UDAN(Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme to boost aviation connectivity.

About Noida International Airport (NIA):
Second International Gateway : The airport will serve as the second international gateway for Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) after Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi, Delhi.
Development Model: The airport was built under a PPP model in collaboration with Zurich Airport International AG, Switzerland.
Operations: Phase I features a single runway with an annual passenger capacity of 12 million. Domestic and cargo operations are expected to commence by mid-April or May 2026, with international flights scheduled for September 2026.

PLFS Annual Report 2025: Urban LFPR & WPR Remain Stable
In March 2026, the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Periodic Labour Force Survey(PLFS) Annual Report, 2025 (January, 2025-December 2025).

• The report highlighted that Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) (based on usual status (ps+ss)) remained widely consistent compared to levels recorded in 2024 in urban areas.

Key Findings:
Stable Participation: The report highlighted that Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) (based on usual status (ps+ss)) remained widely consistent compared to levels recorded in 2024, estimated at 59.3% and 57.4% (in 2025), respectively.
Youth Unemployment Rate: Also, the youth unemployment rate for persons aged between 15 and 29 years, decreased from 10.3% (in 2024) to 9.9% (in 2025).
Transition to Regular Wage: The report highlighted   that the share of workers in regular wage/salaried employment in usual status (ps+ss) increased from 22.4% (in 2024) to 23.6% (in 2025).

• In contrast, the share of self-employed persons declined  to 56.2% (in 2025).

Overview of World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026 held in Telangana
In March 2026, the inaugural edition of the World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026 was held from March 27 to 29, 2026 across Hyderabad (Telangana) and Buddhavanam at Nagarjunasagar, Nalgonda district (Telangana).
About World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026:
Organiser: The conference was organised by Buddhavanam, a unit of the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), Government of Telangana, in association with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS).
Highlights of the Summit:
Telangana Peace Declaration: A major highlight of the conference was the unveiling and adoption of the Telangana Peace Declaration, which emphasises inner transformation and ethical values as the foundation for global harmony.
World Peace Centre: The Telangana government announced that Buddhavanam, spread across 274 acres, will be developed as a global World Peace Centre.
Awards and Recognition: During the conference, Telangana’s Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao was honoured with the ‘Grand Prize for Contribution to World Peace’

Indian Navy Conducts Maritime Exercise ‘IMEX TTX 2026’ at Kochi, Kerala
In March 2026, the Indian Navy (IN) conducted the 3rd edition of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise (IMEX) Tabletop Exercise (TTX) 2026 at the Maritime Warfare Centre, Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi, Kerala.

• The exercise marked a significant development as India assumed the IONS Chairmanship for the 2026–2028 cycle after a gap of 16-years since 2010.

About IMEX TTX 2026:
Aim: IMEX TTX 2026 addressed non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) while enhancing shared understanding, refining coordination mechanisms, and validating frameworks under the IONS.
Participants: The exercise involved delegates from IONS member navies, officers from Indian Ocean Ship–Security and Growth for All in the Region (IOS-SAGAR), and the IN, with participation from Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste.
Mechanism: Conducted as a TTX in a simulated environment, it addressed multi-scenario contingencies while avoiding live deployment constraints.
Significance: It promoted maritime cooperation, professional exchange, and mutual trust, strengthening India’s regional maritime leadership in a region critical for global trade, energy flows, and connectivity.

MoEFCC & WWF-India Organise Awareness Campaign to Mark 20 Years of Earth Hour
On 28 March 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) organised awareness and outreach activities in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh (MP) to mark 20 years of Earth Hour, with a nationwide call to “Give an Hour for Earth”.
Event Highlights:
Framework: Activities under the Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building & Livelihood Programme (EIACP) were conducted with support from WWF-India and attended by officials from MoEFCC.
Institutions: Awareness drives and exhibitions promoting sustainable lifestyles and environmental responsibility were held at The Scindia School, MP and Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), MP.
Participation: Trainees of the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) from 15+ States and Union Territories (UTs), including the “Nature Conservator cum Eco-Tourism Guide” course, actively participated.

Indian Army Signs First-Ever Rs. 25.90 Crore Capital Procurement Contract via GeM Portal
In March 2026, the Indian Army (IA) marked a major defence acquisition reform by signing its first-ever capital procurement contract through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) with JCB India Limited to procure 93 telescopic handlers under the Buy (Indian) category at a cost of Rs. 25.90 crore.

• The procurement aims to strengthen logistics and material handling capabilities in difficult terrains.

About Defence Procurement:
Equipment: Telescopic Handlers (telehandlers) are versatile rough-terrain lifting machines used for material handling, logistics support, and construction operations, especially in forward and high-altitude areas.
Capability: These machines enhance logistics efficiency, enable effective operations in rugged terrains, and reduce manual labour in military operations, reflecting a transformational shift towards faster, more transparent, and technology-driven acquisition processes.
Efficiency: The GeM platform ensures reduced procurement timelines, procedural integrity, and optimal value through tools like e-bidding and reverse e-auction.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNESCO GEM Report 2026:  Global Out-of-School Population Reaches 273 Million
In March 2026, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) released the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report — Access and Equity: Countdown to 2030, revealing that one in six school-age children worldwide are out of education and only two in three complete secondary schooling.

• In 2024, a report found that 273 million children, adolescents, and youth were out of school globally, excluding an additional estimated 13 million in ten conflict-affected countries.

About GEM report 2026:
Overview: The Global Education Monitoring Report 2026 assesses global progress towards achieving equitable and inclusive education under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by 2030.
Urgency: West Asia faces severe disruption due to conflicts, with school closures leaving millions out of education and 13 million additionally excluded in the most affected countries.
Enrolment: Global enrolment reached 1.4 billion in 2024, increasing by 327 million (30%) since 2000, with 45% growth in pre-primary and 161% in post-secondary, equivalent to 25 children entering school every minute.
Completion: Completion rates improved from 77% to 88% (primary), 60% to 78% (lower secondary), and 37% to 61% (upper secondary), yet only two-thirds complete schooling and 95% completion may be reached only by 2105.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Unveils Payment Vision 2028 to Strengthen Digital Ecosystem
In March 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled its ‘Payment Vision 2028’ document, titled ‘Shaping India’s Payment Frontier’, outlining a roadmap to strengthen and expand India’s rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem.

• The RBI has been periodically preparing Payments Vision since 2001.

About Payment Vision 2028:
Focus: The 2028 vision document focuses on user empowerment, safeguards against fraud, efficiency of cross border payment frameworks and promoting ease of doing business.

• It consists of 15 specific initiatives.

Duration: The vision document charts a roadmap for the next three years, extending up to December 2028.
New Initiatives: The RBI proposed multiple initiatives to strengthen the payments ecosystem, including a switch on/off facility for digital payments, development of an efficient cross-border (CB) payments framework with a single-window authorisation process, and introduction of a Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) for fraud liability.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

India’s Sheetal Devi Named World Archery Para Archer of the Year 2025
In March 2026, India’s Sheetal Devi was named “Para Archer of the Year 2025” by the World Archery Federation (WA), the international governing body for the sport of archery, in recognition of her outstanding achievement on the global stage.

• The top individual honours included Archer of the Year awarded to Emircan Haney (Türkiye), Para Archer of the Year to Sheetal Devi (India), and Young Archer of the Year to Baptiste Addis (France).

About Sheetal Devi:
Identity: Sheetal Devi is India’s first female armless para-archer competing globally. The 19-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) became the first and only female armless archer to win gold at the World Para Archery Championships 2025 in Gwangju, South Korea, in September 2025.
World Championships: She secured a complete medal set, including gold, women’s team silver, and mixed team bronze.
Paralympics: She won a mixed team bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics (France).

VP CP Radhakrishnan Presents 20th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards
In March 2026, Chandrapuram Ponnusami (C.P.) Radhakrishnan, Vice President of India, attended the 20th edition of Ramnath Goenka (RNG) Excellence in Journalism Awards as the Chief Guest in New Delhi, Delhi.

• During the event, he presented awards to 25 journalists for excellence across print, digital and broadcast media in 18 categories, including investigative journalism, sports, politics & governance, feature writing, books and regional language journalism.

About RNG Excellence in Journalism Awards:
Background: These awards were instituted by the Ramnath Goenka Foundation in 2005 to mark the birth centenary of  Ramnath Goenka, the founder of the Indian Express(IE) Group.

• Each recipient receives a citation, a trophy, and a monetary prize of Rs 1 Lakh.

Winners in Civic Journalism: Sandeep Dighe (The Times of India, TOI) and Sreya Chatterjee & Arvind Ojha (India Today) were honored with the ‘Prakash Kardaley Memorial Awards for Civic Journalism’,  award.

• The award was established in the memory of  Prakash Kardaley, former Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune, Maharashtra, to honour  a print journalist whose sustained efforts highlighted a civic issue.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ESA Launches First Celeste Satellites to Test LEO Navigation Layer
In March 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the first two satellites In-Orbit Demonstrators(IOD)-1 and IOD-2  of its Celeste mission from the Rocket Lab launch site, New Zealand, to demonstrate a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) navigation layer.

• The mission aims to complement Europe’s existing Galileo (Medium Earth Orbit ,MEO) and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) systems, marking a shift towards a multi-layered navigation architecture.

About Celeste Mission:
Objective : The mission launched to test a LEO-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) system to enhance the resilience, accuracy and coverage of satellite navigation services.
Satellites Launch: Two satellites, In-Orbit Demonstrators(IOD)-1 and IOD-2 , were launched under the mission, weighing 20 kilogram(kg) and 30 kg respectively, and are operating in LEO at an altitude of 500–560 kilometres (km).
Development : The satellites were developed by GMV (Spain) and Thales Alenia Space (France), and launched using the Electron rocket by Rocket Lab (New Zealand), adopting a New Space approach for faster and more flexible satellite deployment.

SPORTS

Kimi Antonelli Wins Japanese Grand Prix 2026; Becomes Youngest F1 Championship Leader
In March 2026, the 19-year-old Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the 40th edition of the Formula One (F1) Japanese Grand Prix (GP) 2026 held at Suzuka, Japan, and became the youngest driver ever to lead the F1 World Championship.

• Oscar Piastri of McLaren (Australia) finished second with 18 points, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari (Monaco) secured third with 15 points.

Key Highlights of Japanese GP 2026:
Victory: Kimi Antonelli secured back-to-back wins in China and Japan, becoming the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history by surpassing Lewis Hamilton.
Positions: George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, while Lando Norris secured fifth place for McLaren.
Background: The Japanese GP is a F1 race held in Japan, traditionally at the Suzuka Circuit, first held in 1963 and known for its challenging layout and passionate motorsport fans.
Next Event: The next race is the Miami Grand Prix (May 2026) after a break due to cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

OBITUARY

Padma Bhushan Awardee & Former Raymond Chairman Vijaypat Singhania Passed Away
In March 2026, Padma Bhushan awardee and former Raymond chairman Dr. Vijaypat Lala Kailashpat Singhania passed away at the age of  87 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was born on October 4, 1938 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s 3rd highest civilian honour in 2006 in the field of Sports.
• He was widely recognised for his contributions to the textile industry and for setting multiple records in aviation.

About Vijaypat Singhania:
Leadership: He served as Chairman of Raymond Limited for nearly two decades until 2000 and later transferred his entire 37% stake in the company to his son Gautam Singhania.
Other Key Roles: He was appointed Honorary Air Commodore by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1994 and served as the Sheriff of Mumbai (Maharashtra) in 2006.
Accomplishment : In 1988, he gained global recognition by solo flying a microlight aircraft from London(the United Kingdom, UK) to Ahmedabad(Gujarat), covering over 9,000 kilometres (kms).
Aviation Record : He was a passionate aviator and held a world record for the highest altitude achieved in hot air ballooning. In 2005, at the age of 67, he set this record by reaching an altitude of 69,852 feet.
Academic Role: In March 2007, he was appointed Chairman of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and served until 2012.
Autobiography: He authored an autobiography titled ‘An Angel in the Cockpit’ (2005), which chronicles his microlight aviation journey.
Award: He received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (TNNAA) in 2001.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Zero Waste 2026 – March 30
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Zero Waste also known as Zero Waste Day is annually observed across the globe on 30 March to promote sustainable waste management and responsible consumption practices globally.

• 2026 Theme: Food Waste

Background:
UNGA Resolution: On 14 December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution A/RES/77/161 titled “Promoting zero waste initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
First Observance: The first International Day of Zero Waste was observed on 30 March 2023.
Facilitation: The observance of the Day is facilitated jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

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